Not applicable.
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to liquid soap or lotion dispensers and applicators wherein soap or lotion is dispensed or applied by a manual pump. This invention further relates to soap or lotion dispensers or applicators incorporating means to retain and apply liquid soap to a related cleaning utensil.
2. Description of Prior Art
Liquid soap dispensers are common household items. They are available in either uninstalled xe2x80x9ccountertopxe2x80x9d, or installed xe2x80x9cthru-counterxe2x80x9d configurations. Various soap dispensers provide a housing incorporating support for a cleaning utensil such as a common dish sponge, and also provide a means for application of soap to the cleaning utensil.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,270,275 to Martz (2001), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,414 to Ong (1996) teach countertop dispensers wherein liquid is applied to a sponge through a valve controlled, gravity fed system. Valve controlled gravity fed liquid application is not xe2x80x9cfail-safexe2x80x9d. If the valve means becomes gummed up, leaks, or fails, liquid may flood the sponge support and overflow the contents of the reservoir onto the countertop.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,280,111 to Armer (2001) teaches a countertop dispenser wherein a lever may be actuated to pump liquid soap into an application chamber. Excess soap drains from the application chamber through a plethora of holes. At rest, application chamber is entirely above liquid level in reservoir and exposed to air.
Liquid dishwashing soap when exposed to air, tends to dry out and increase in viscosity, eventually becoming gummy. Continual filling and draining (exposing to air) of application chamber may coat chamber walls and drainage holes with gummy, partially dried soap. This creates an unpreferable condition in the application chamber, and may clog drainage holes entirely.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,309,124 to Gueret (2001) teaches a dispenser wherein preferably a cosmetic or pharmaceutical liquid or gel is pumped from a reservoir into an application chamber. The chamber is sealed by screwing or snapping on a removable cap. The cap comprises the applicator itself. Positioning of the cap relative to the application chamber is required for dispensing liquid or gel to the applicator. This configuration is not preferable for application of liquid dishwashing soap to a kitchen sponge.
A common procedure for using a sponge is to apply a small amount of liquid soap to it, run it under water, then kneed the sponge to a lather. This is done to determine if further application of soap is required to perform the particular cleaning task. This is not practical with the Gueret invention. Common usage of a kitchen sponge requires that it be completely flexible for cleaning contours such as the inside of a drinking glass. Attachment of a sponge to a substantially rigid cap limits its ability to perform most cleaning tasks.
No prior art has been found to meet the need for a device which houses and applies soap to a kitchen sponge, creates a soap pool for dipping fingertips, will not overflow, clog or gum up, and is of a modular configuration wherein an application module may be used interchangeably with either a countertop or installed (below counter) reservoir.
The present invention fulfills the above needs, providing a modular dispensing and application device which houses and applies liquid soap to a common kitchen sponge, and also creates a liquid soap pool for dipping fingertips to wash hands. Interchangeable reservoirs allow the consumer to utilize the device before incurring the labor or expense of permanent installation.
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the preferred embodiment of the present invention are:
(a) to create a dispenser for application of liquid dishwashing soap to either a cleaning utensil (sponge), or to fingertips for washing hands.
(b) to be of modular design, allowing the consumer to utilize the present invention as a countertop device before deciding whether or not to install permanently.
(c) to pump soap vertically into a bottom fed pool eliminating gumming or clogging of passageways or orifices due to air exposure.
(d) to supply soap in a fail-safe manor, wherein pump leakage or failure results in soap returning to reservoir. Soap will not flood or overflow application module.
(e) to utilize and work preferentially with a common kitchen sponge. No special applicator need be utilized or re-purchased when original wears out.
Other objects and advantages are:
(f) to accommodate simply controlled, one-handed application of soap to a sponge. Light downward pressure yields incremental dosing.
(g) to apply soap to the central bottom surface of a sponge, soap will not squirt onto hands.
(h) to dispense and/or apply liquid soaps, creams, or disinfectant solutions of a wide viscosity range.
(i) to impregnate liquid soap into a sponge without excessively back-pressuring the supply pump.
(j) to utilize an easily replaceable common lotion pump, whereby no tools are required for replacement.
(k) to be easily refillable. Application module slides off either countertop or installed reservoir modules, exposing an orifice to pour in liquid.
(l) to be stable in operation. Countertop reservoir module incorporates an elastomeric base ring, increasing stability and eliminating slippage across countertop.
(m) to require a small xe2x80x9cfootprintxe2x80x9d of countertop space, not much larger than a sponge itself.
(n) to be manufactured largely of translucent plastic, allowing light to permeate from all sides to reduce bacterial growth. This also allows color of sponge and soap to show through and accent kitchen or bath decor.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.